asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to amend the licensing laws.

A detailed review of the law would first be needed. I am considering the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will amend the regulations made under the Gaming Act, 1969, with special reference to the Room at the Top Casino, Ilford.

No. My right hon. Friend is not contemplating making any change with special reference to individual clubs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why 2,268,000 yards of drill was ordered by the Prison Department to be delivered over a three-year period; and what garments it was to be made into for hospital protective clothing.

To ensure continuity in the supply of materials. The garments to be manufactured are at present coats, trousers and overalls.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what basis of costing is employed by Her Majesty's Prisons to enable them to quote for hospital garments and textiles.

The general rule is to quote fair market prices; account is taken of the expenses of production in prison workshops, including the abnormal overheads.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the negotiations regarding pay for the police.

Negotiations are in progress in the Police Council, which has not yet made a recommendation to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on his negotiations with the Police Federation concerning the future pay structure of the police force in Great Britain.

Negotiations on police pay are the statutory responsibility of the Police Council for the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to prohibit the sale of fireworks to individuals and confine sales to civic organisations.

My right hon. Friend does not think that such restrictions would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce the necessary legislation so that when the police do not enforce the law, when requested by the public to do so, the public are enabled to initiate legal proceedings at Government expense.

No. The Departmental Committee on Legal Aid in Criminal Proceedings, which reported in 1966, did not favour granting legal aid to private prosecutors and my right hon. Friend sees no reason to dissent from its view.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of recent refusals by the Metropolitan Police to enforce the law when requested to do so by the public, details of which have been supplied to him by the hon. Member for West Ham, North, whether he will withhold all Government support to the current campaign on television and in the Press advising the public to assist the police in enforcing the law.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the expansion of the urban aid programme.

The programme in its present form provides for expenditure amounting to £20–25 million in the period of four years ending in April, 1972 and up to £40 million during the succeeding four years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he proposes to change the age of retirement for police officers.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, having regard to the fact that the present procedures for adjustment of electoral boundaries cannot keep pace with demographic changes in constituencies and electoral areas, he will initiate legislation for the restoration of the timetable for reports enacted by Section 2 of the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Act, 1949 but repealed by Section 7 of the Act of 1958.

No. The considerations which prompted the House in 1958 to increase the interval between reviews still seem to my right hon. Friend to hold good.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has given consideration to the report of the Society of Conservative Lawyers on Public Order, a copy of which has been sent to him; and whether he will initiate the recommended review of the law in this field with a view to its simplification and clarification.

The report recommends action on a number of matters relating to public order. In consultation with his colleagues, my right hon. Friend is considering the operation of the law of trespass in this context. But he does not propose to initiate a comprehensive review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants have entered this country illegally during each of the last two years; how many have been deported; and what steps he is taking to prevent illegal immigration and to return illegal immigrants to their own countries.

The information available to me is that 72 illegal immigrants were detected in the 12 months ended 30th September, 1970 and 24 in the previous 12 months. Most of them have already been returned to their own countries. I am in close touch with chief constables about the prevention of illegal immigration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the proposed withdrawal of the police road safety teams from schools in the Greater London area; and what reply he has sent.

Concern has been expressed that road safety tuition in schools may suffer; but, as I have said in reply, local police will be available to provide school visits in collaboration with local authority road safety officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons are confined to prisons in the North-West area of England for non-payment of debts, affiliation or maintenance orders and fines, respectively; in what prisons they are; and what percentage of prisoners they constitute in these prisons;(2) how many persons from the county borough of Warrington are confined to prison because of non-payment of debts, affiliation and maintenance orders and fines, respectively; in what prisons they are confined; and what percentage of those prison populations they constitute.

On 15th October, 1970, the numbers of persons confined in prisons in the North-West area of England for non-payment of debts, affiliation or maintenance orders and fines were 16, 82 and 75 respectively. They were in Appleton Thorn, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston and Styal prisons and constituted 4 per cent. of the population in these prisons. I regret that the information about persons from the County Borough of Warrington is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he is making for prisoners in civil prisons to take advantage of the opportunities for study offered by the Open University.

Experiments in allowing prisoners to take part in the Open University will be arranged at two prisons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many live animals were involved in the 5,418,929 experiments referred to in paragraph 12 of the Return of Experiments on Living Animals dated 23rd July, 1970.

Details of the number of animals used are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the sale of obscene toys known as pieces of body which are being sold to young children; and if he will direct that these toys shall be withdrawn from the market.

My right hon. Friend has no power to direct that these toys should be withdrawn from the market.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time the number of robberies and attempted robberies that have taken place involving members of the various private security firms; what amounts of moneys have been stolen; in how many cases were arms used and injuries caused; on what statutory authority these security guards are allowed to carry truncheons and other such weapons; and whether he will arrange for such duties in future to be undertaken by the police.

These statistics are not available. Security guards provide services which are supplementary to those of the police, but they have no rights other than those of any citizen under the law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when the agreement between Her Majesty's Government and Securicor Limited relating to the supervision of immigrants was made;(2) what training is given to those employees of Securicor Limited who are engaged in the supervision of immigrants who are refused entry to this country; by whom is such training administered; and what supervision is given by his Department to such trainees;(3) what steps are taken by his Department to ensure that persons employed by Securicor Limited and who are engaged in the supervision of immigrants who are refused entry to this country are persons of suitable character, training and personality.

The contract between Securicor Limited and the Home Office was signed on 1st July this year.From experience gained in doing similar work for the airlines at London Airport since 1967, Securicor is well able to select suitable personnel and to give them adequate training in both the custodial and welfare aspects of their duties. The work is done under the constant supervision of the Immigration Service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give the membership of the Boundary Commission for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland constituted under the House of Commons (Redistribution of Seats) Acts, 1949 and 1958.

Mr. Speaker is the Chairman of each of the four Commissions.

Commission for England	Appointed by
The Hon. Mr. Justice Thesiger, M.B.E. (Deputy Chairman)	Lord Chancellor.
Mr. Harold Marnham. M.B.E., Q.C.	Home Secretary.
Sir Harold Banwell	Minister of Housing and Local Government.
Commission for Scotland
The Hon. Lord Kilbrandon (Deputy Chairman)	Lord President of the Court of Session.
Mr. Ames L. Imrie, C.B.E.	Secretary of State for Scotland.
Professor A. D. Campbell
Commission for Wales
The Hon. Mr. Justice Lloyd-Jones (Deputy Chairman)	Lord Chancellor.
Mr. J. G. Iles, O.B.E.	Home Secretary.
Colonel J. L. Corbett-Winder, O.B.E., M.C.	Secretary of State for Wales.
Commission for Northern Ireland
The Hon. Mr. Justice Lowry (Deputy Chairman)	Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland.
Mr. F. C. Hopkirk, LL.B.	Home Secretary.
Mr. H. E. Campbell, M.A., M.A.I., M.I.C.E.
The appointments have effect until 31st December, 1972.

The Registrar General for England and Wales and the Director General of the Ordnance Survey are assessors to the Commissions for England and Wales; the Registrar General for Scotland and the Director General of the Ordnance Survey are assessors to the Commission for Scotland; and the Registrar General of Births, Deaths and Marriages for Northern Ireland and the Commissioner of Valuation for Northern Ireland are assessors to the Commission for Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the prospective rise in wages in the public and private sectors for the next year.

It is policy to publish trends in wages. The national interest requires, however, a significantly lower increase in earned incomes in the forthcoming year than the present rate of increase.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what communications he has had with heads of the nationalised industries on pay and prices in the public sector; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his meeting with the chairmen of the boards of nationalised industries; and what directions he gave to them on wages policy.

I would refer the hon. Members to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mr. Golding) on 27th October.—[Vol. 805, c. 57.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what communications he has had with the Confederation of British Industry and the Trade Union Congress on pay and prices in the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has had a number of discussions with representatives of the Confederation of British Industry and the Trade Union Congress on pay and prices in the private sector.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the number of men, women, boys and girls registered as unemployed in the Mexborough and District and the Wombwell employment exchange areas at the latest available date.

At 12th October, 869 men, 148 women, 52 boys and 47 girls were registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Mexborough employment exchange. The corresponding figures for the Wombwell area were 451 men, 60 women, 27 boys and 15 girls.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a further statement on the National Board for Prices and Incomes.

No. I have nothing to add to the statement by my right hon.

Reference	Date of reference
Overtime and Shiftworking	29th April, 1969
Pay and Conditions of Service of Workers in Laundries and Dry cleaning	22nd May, 1970
Pay and Conditions of Service of Workers in Contract Cleaning	22nd May, 1970
Pay and Conditions of Service of National Health Service Ancillary Workers	22nd May, 1970
Food Distribution	29th May, 1970
Proposals by the London Transport Executive for fares increases	29th May, 1970
Costs, Charges and Productivity of the National Freight Corporation	9th June, 1970
Motor Vehicle Repair and Servicing	11th June, 1970
Ice Cream Prices	16th June, 1970
Standing References
Pay of the Armed Forces	2nd November, 1967
Remuneration of Solicitors	13th March, 1969

It is not possible to forecast the precise publication dates of the reports on these references. It is, however, expected that the reports on overtime and shiftworking, London Transport fares, and ice cream prices will be published before the end of this year and the work on the remaining references will be completed by the end of March, 1971.

asked the Secretary of of State for Employment how many companies have now registered their procedure agreements with his Department; what percentage of employees are now covered by this registration; how many procedure agreements have been found to be unsatisfactory; how many have been referred to the Commission on Industrial Relations for investigation and report, and what use he is making of the Manpower and Productivity Service to follow up these reports.

Two hundred and seventy-seven employing about one-fifth of the total working population were invited to notify their procedure agreements to this Department and, of these, 265 have responded. The material is not used to classify individual procedure agreements

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will detail the work on which the National Board for Prices and Incomes is presently engaged; when each outstanding reference was made; and when the reports on each reference will be published.

The references at present being considered by the Board and the dates on which they were made are as follows:as satisfactory or otherwise but to identify particular weaknesses. The Department's Manpower and Productivity Service is undertaking a series of visits at plant level to assess the practical working of the procedures and offers advice and help where needed. No reference has yet been made to the Commission on Industrial Relations arising out of the arrangements for the notification of procedure agreements.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the sheltered workshop in Cheltenham to be completed.

Plans agreed between my Department and the Gloucestershire County Council provide for completion by 1st January, 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of employable disabled persons now seeking work, and of the percentage of employable disabled persons who are currently unemployed.

It is not possible to estimate the number of employable disabled persons because not all such people are registered as disabled or registered for employment. The situation is also affected by the work potential of the individual and the conditions of employment. The number of adult registered disabled persons registered for employment on 1st October was 72,888 of whom 4,697 were temporarily sick and 68,141 were unemployed. The unemployed represented 10·8 per cent. of all people who have chosen to register under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will withdraw the Department's Form E.S.3 at the earliest opportunity.

The period during which this form was in use for the 1970 New Earnings Survey has already ended.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average weekly wage in the woollen textile industry; and what was the comparative figure for 12 months previously.

The latest date for which information is available is October, 1969. Following is the information requested:

AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS OF FULL-TIME MANUAL WORKERS
WOOLLEN TEXTILE INDUSTRY
[Minimum List Heading 414, 1958 Standard Industrial Classification]
	October, 1969			October, 1968
	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
Men, 21 years and over	21	9	5	20	7	10
Women, 18 years and over	11	5	0	10	15	0

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average weekly wage in the Colne Valley constituency; and what was the comparative figure for 12 months previously.

I regret the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if his Department keeps a price index related specially to the needs of retirement pensioners; and if he will publish the index for each month since January of this year.

My Department publishes regularly in its Gazette quarterly indices for one-person and two-person pensioner households mainly dependent on national insurance retirement or similar pensions and/or supplementary pensions or allowances paid in supplementation or instead of such pensions. The indices exclude housing costs.The indices for the first three quarters of 1970 are:

16th January, 1962=100
		One-person households	Two-person households
1st Quarter	…	136·9	137·0
2nd Quarter	…	139·3	139·4
3rd Quarter	…	140·3	140·6

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many industrial training centres will be opened in the next five years; and how many places will then be made available.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for the High Peak (Mr. Le Marchant) on 4th November. The programme he announced will increase the number of training places in Government training centres to about 14,000 by 1975. It has not yet been decided how many new centres we shall need to set up.—[Vol. 805, c. 383–384.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the amount contributed by parents to the cost of university fees during 1969–70; and what percentage this was of the total.

My best estimate is that parents of United Kingdom based students at undergraduate level at British universities contributed about £3 million in 1969–70 towards the cost of fees. This was 16 or 17 per cent. of the total. The remainder was mainly paid by local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take steps to increase the number of direct grant schools.

I am still consulting with the Direct Grant Joint Committee on the general question of the future of direct grant schools and am not yet ready to make a statement. At present my main concern is with existing direct grant schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take steps to accelerate the provision of necessary public library accommodation.

The Government have been considering proposals for giving up to a large extent central control over loan sanctions for individual projects undertaken by local authorities. The effect would be that authorities would be free to make their own decisions on capital expenditure over a wide range of services, including public libraries, within an annual block allocation. Firm proposals have not yet been made known, but it is in this context that the provision of public library accommodation is likely to be considered in future.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many new branch libraries have been established in each of the last 10 years.

This information is not available in the form required. However, the number of new branch libraries for which loan consent was given from 1965–66 onwards is given in the following table:

Loan Consents for new Branch Libraries
1965–66	…	…	…	…	92
1966–67	…	…	…	…	83
1967–68	…	…	…	…	112
1968–69	…	…	…	…	51
1969–70	…	…	…	…	85

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her policy on corporal punishment in schools; and if she will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Loughborough (Mr. Cronin) on 23rd July.—[Vol. 804, c. 735–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will make a statement about her reply to the recommendations of the Select Committee on Education and Science on student relations.

The greater part of these recommendations are addressed, not to the Department, but to various bodies concerned with higher education. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, and I will take them into account in developing our policy for higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will authorise immediately an increase in the sum allocated for minor works.

The total allocation for minor works in 1972–73 will be the same as in 1971–72.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards parental choice in the field of secondary education.

The Government believe in the widest possible parental choice under the existing law.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the present limits on providing free transport for schoolchildren; and whether she will vary these in exceptional circumstances due to adverse traffic or geographical conditions.

Local education authorities have a duty to provide, or pay the cost of, transport to school for children of compulsory school age living beyond the statutory walking distances from the nearest suitable school. The statutory walking distances are defined in the Education Act, 1944, as 2 miles for children under 8 and 3 miles for older children. The Act also gives authorities discretionary power to provide transport in other circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what financial assistance she proposes to make available through the Medical Research Council to the Lawson Tait Medical and Scientific Research Trust, with a view to promoting research without making use of live animals.

It is not the policy of the Government or the Medical Research Council to give direct financial assistance to voluntary bodies as such. The Council is, however, always willing to consider applications for the support of specific research projects on their scientific merit, including any recommended by the Lawson Tait Medical and Scientific Research Trust.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her estimate of the number of children being taught in primary schools in Lancashire that need replacing; and how this compares with other counties in England.

According to information supplied by the Lancashire Education Authority earlier this year, there are about 64,000 children in primary schools in the county whose main buildings used for teaching purposes date from before 1903 and are deficient in teaching area and in ancillary accommodation or amenities, and whose replacement or improvement is justified because of long-term need for the accommodation. This figure is equivalent to nearly 25 per cent. of all the children in Lancashire primary schools. The corresponding figure for the rest of the English county administrative areas is 16 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated number of pre-school playgroups in England; and what sum is made available to them from central Government funds.

I estimate that there may be nearly 10,000 playgroups providing for up to 200,000 children. They receive no funds direct from the Exchequer, but grants to them by local authorities to the value of about £130,000 have been approved for Exchequer grant of 75 per cent. under the Urban Programme. In addition my Department expects to make a grant of £3,500 this year to the Pre-School Playgroups Association itself in order to help to finance its advisory services and administrative costs.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what redundancy is expected at Royal Ordnance Factory, Radway Green; and what steps he intends to take to avoid hardship created by such redundancy.

A redundancy of up to 224 industrial employees has been announced. However, some men have already left to take up other work and it is now expected that only about 110 employees will be discharged initially. It may also prove necessary to discharge a further 67 by 1st April, 1971.Most of those concerned are short-service staff but terminal grants will be payable to those who qualify by age and service. I will do all I can, in conjunction with the Department of Employment, to help those made redundant to find other work.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will break down the proposed Defence Budget referred to in paragraph 38 of Command Paper Number 4521 to show what increase there has been in financial provision for equipment for each of the three services.

There has been no increase. As Cmnd. 4521 makes clear, the Defence budget targets are lower than the costings of the programmes, including the equipment programmes, inherited from the previous Administration. The targets nevertheless make provision for a number of substantial improvements in our capability.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will particularise how the Government propose to implement their intentions with regard to the maintenance of world peace, referred to in Command Paper No. 4521, to resume a proper share of responsibility for preservation of peace and stability in the world.

The Government's intentions and their proposals for putting them into effect were set out in Cmnd. 4521, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the current total cost of building a fifth Polaris submarine with missiles.

I would expect the total cost to be something over £50 million.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether it is proposed to continue the current building programme of nuclear-powered submarines.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to the right hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Dell).

asked the Minister of State for Defence when he proposes to make a statement on the future nuclear-powered hunter/killer submarine building programme.

The option to increase the rate of build of hunter/killer submarines remains open. The existing build programme will be maintained for the present time and will be kept under review in the light of priorities within Fleet requirements.

asked the Minister of of State for Defence whether it is intended that the current rundown of troops and military installations in the Far East should continue at the pace proposed by the previous Government until the British contribution to the five-Power defence arrangements envisaged in Command Paper No. 4521 is the only British force remaining.

We have no proposals at present for altering the pace of the rundown, but the plan is kept constantly under review.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what command structure is envisaged for the proposed five-Power defence arrangements.

We shall be discussing future command arangements with our Commonwealth partners. Until we have consulted them there is nothing further I can say on this question.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what other forces, in addition to the proposed British contribution to the five-Power defence arrangements will be liable to be called to do duty in the Far East.

As stated in the Supplementary Defence White Paper, there will be a considerable number of visits by combat units of all three Services for jungle, air and maritime training and exercises in the Malaysia and Singapore area. There will also be the garrison in Hong Kong. The question of reinforcements would be considered in the light of circumstances.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the total strength envisaged for the British battalion groups for the Far East; and what additional forces will remain in Hong Kong in this connection.

The total uniformed strength, including logistic support, of the battalion group referred to in paragraph 10 of Comnd. 4521 will be about 1,500. The force level in Hong Kong will remain substantially as at present.

asked the Minister of State for Defence how many aircraft will be comprised in the Far East detachment of Nimrod; whether they will be there the whole of the year; what airfield they will occupy; who will service them; and what tasks they will perform.

We plan to contribute up to four Nimrod aircraft for maritime reconnaissance throughout the year, by rotational detachments to Singapore. Detailed administrative and support arrangements are the subject of consultation with our Commonwealth partners.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the total strength of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy personnel envisaged for the Far East, including and excluding Hong Kong, respectively.

We envisage that after 1971 there will be just over 800 R.N. and R.A.F. uniformed personnel, including Royal Marines, permanently stationed in Hong Kong. Details of the support arrangements in Singapore and Malaysia are being worked out, but we anticipate that there will be on average in the region of 2,000 R.N. and R.A.F. uniformed personnel in the area, including the naval force on station East of Suez.

asked the Minister of State for Defence from what year it is envisaged that the annual cost of deploying forces in South-East Asia will be between £5 million and £10 million.

1972–73 will be the first year in which the annual cost will be between £5 million and £10 million.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what North Atlantic Treaty Organisation forces will be declared for the Far East; and how far other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation powers have been consulted on this question.

Our allocation of forces to N.A.T.O. will be reduced by one battery of the Royal Artillery; and up to three naval escorts and a detachment of Nimrod aircraft will be at rather longer notice. We are discussing our plans with our N.A.T.O. allies in accordance with normal practice. These minor changes are, of course, far outweighed by the increases in our force declarations to N.A.T.O. announced in the recent Supplementary Statement on Defence Policy 1970.

asked the Minister of State for Defence when discussions between the British and French navies commenced on the question of Exocet.

Preliminary discussions started in July, 1969. Following our decision to introduce Exocet into the Royal Navy subject to satisfactory agreement with the French Government, negotiations on a collaborative programme started in September, 1970.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of Exocet; and what type of ship will be fitted with it.

The cost is a matter for negotiation. It is intended to fit Exocet widely in frigates and larger ships.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what other improved weapons systems are expected to be available other than Exocet by the late 1970s.

I refer the right hon. Member to paragraphs 14 and 40 of Cmnd. 4521.

asked the Minister of State for Defence for what percentage of each of the next eight years it is envisaged the "Ark Royal" will be available for sea-going service; when she is due for her next dockings and re-fits; and how long each will take.

"Ark Royal's" next refit will be due in about three years' time and is expected to last about six months. It would be contrary to normal practice to disclose the other details of the ship's programme.

asked the Minister of State for Defence in what part of the world it is envisaged "Ark Royal" will operate; and what proportion of these areas cannot be served by land-based aircraft.

H.M.S. "Ark Royal" will be deployed mainly in the Atlantic or Mediterranean but she will be able to operate in other parts of the world also. Wherever "Ark Royal" serves, her embarked Phantoms and Buccaneers will provide an invaluable complement to the suport supplied by shore based aircraft to naval forces at sea in circumstances where speed of response is vital.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what manpower it is expected that "Ark Royal" will need; and whether any other ships will be moth-balled or delayed in their commissioning to provide manpower.

About 1,000 Fleet Air Arm and 1,400 general service personnel are needed by H.M.S. "Ark Royal". The provision of extra general service manpower for "Ark Royal" after 1972 will not require any immediate changes in the current naval programme but H.M.S. "Lion" will not now be converted to the helicopter carrying rôle.

asked the Minister of State for Defence (1) following the decision to continue "Ark Royal" in service, how many aircraft will no longer be available to the Royal Air Force; and how they will be replaced;(2) what will be the decrease in the number of Phantom aircraft available to the Royal Air Force in the mid-1970s.

As announced in the Supplementary Statement on Defence Policy 1970 (Cmnd. 4521), the aircraft for H.M.S. "Ark Royal" will be provided from the total numbers already planned. The number of Phantoms and Buccaneers available to the Royal Air Force will be reduced by those needed to provide and maintain the embarked aircraft complement of "Ark Royal".

asked the Minister of State for Defence when the first two new cruisers will be available; and when the first will be laid down.

The new cruisers will start to become available in the late 1970s. It would be contrary to normal practice to disclose in detail plans for building these ships.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what plans are proposed for H.M.S. "Lion" and H.M.S. "Eagle" after 1972.

As stated in the Supplementary Statement on Defence Policy, we have decided not to proceed with plans to convert H.M.S. "Lion" to the helicopter carrying rôle; H.M.S. "Eagle" will be withdrawn from service, as planned by the previous Government, in 1972. No decision has yet been taken about the final disposal of either ship.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what tasks are envisaged for the Battalion of Gurkhas to be based in the United Kingdom.

It will be employed in Great Britain on tasks similar to those undertaken by British troops.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what numbers will be involved in the next two years in the proposed expansion of the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve; how their equipment will be lighter than the existing Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve; and what cost is involved.

These are matters which will be discussed with the Council of Territorial, Auxiliary, & Volunteer Reserve Associations, and with the associations themselves.

asked the Minister of State for Defence what new jet trainer it is proposed to obtain; whether it will be produced and designed in the United Kingdom or bought off the shelf from abroad; and when.

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the Supplementary Statement on Defence Policy (Cmnd. 4521) and the statement made by my noble Friend on 28th October.—[Vol. 805, c. 226, 236–7.]

asked the Minister of State for Defence what are the projects of lesser priority, mainly in building and equipment fields, that will be cut or deferred in accordance with the proposals contained in Command Paper Number 4521; and what is their value, particularised for the next three years.

It is neither necessary nor practicable to make precise plans at this stage, though the decision not to proceed with the C5 will contribute substantially at the end of the period. Our detailed plans will be made nearer the time, in accordance with the normal procedure.

asked the Minister of State for Defence whether there is any deferment in the provision of housing for the troops following Command Paper Number 4521.

Some barrack rebuilding projects will be deferred but no cut in married quarter provision is intended.

asked the Minister of State for Defence when it is proposed that the envisaged Far Eastern force, as planned in Command Paper Number 4521, will be put into effect.

By the end of 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his plans to stimulate new capital investment by private enterprise in developing countries of the Commonwealth.

The Government recognise the important part that private investment can play in the transfer of resources to developing countries and are examining ways to encourage it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from what developing countries of the Commonwealth aid has been reduced or stopped because of action unfriendly to the United Kingdom or British interests.

Aid to Tanzania was run down in 1968 because of disagreements over pension obligations to British expatriates. These disagreements have now been resolved.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement upon aid to Tanzania.

Officials from my Department have recently had discussions with Tanzanian officials in Dar es Salaam about Tanzania's requirements for capital aid and technical assistance over the next five years. Their report is now being prepared for me to consider.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government has to reduce the degree to which official overseas aid is tied.

The Government support in principle the reciprocal untying of aid by donor countries and are taking part in the drafting of a scheme for this purpose by the Development Assistance Committee of O.E.C.D.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the level of overseas aid to reach 1 per cent. of the national income.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in his speech to the United Nations General Assembly on 23rd October, we shall do our best to reach the 1 per cent. target by 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government will now formally commit themselves to reach by 1975 the annual overseas aid target of 1 per cent. of gross national product as recommended by the Pearson Report.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Rose).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the relative percentages of private and public aid envisaged in the Government's overall target of 1 per cent. of the national income going to overseas aid.

No. The Government have undertaken to do their best to reach the 1 per cent. target by 1975, but are not committed to any particular division of the target between private and official resource flows.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sums are currently being given by Her Majesty's Government towards helping refugees and homeless caused by war or persecution in Nigeria, Jordan, Syria and Israel, respectively.

The following is the information requested. Aid for refugees and homeless in Nigeria is at present being provided under a grant for relief and rehabilitation offered to the Nigerian Government in January, 1970. It is expected that this whole sum will have been disbursed by March, 1971. In all we have given a total of some £3·608 million since July, 1967, over and above our normal aid programme, as a contribution to the relief of suffering caused by the war in Nigeria.Her Majestys Government do not provide aid to refugees in the Arab countries in the Middle East on a country-by-country basis. We do, however, subscribe annually to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (U.N.R.W.A.). Our regular contribution for the financial year 1970–71 was £1,875,000, and we have also agreed, subject to Parliamentary approval—and provided that other major contributors do the same—to subscribe an additional £80,000 in the present financial year to help make good the damage U.N.R.W.A. suffered during the recent fighting in Jordan.It is impossible to break down our contributions to U.N.R.W.A. between individual Arab countries serviced by the Agency. But a pro rata calculation, based on the numbers of refugees on U.N.R.W.A.'s books in Jordan and Syria respectively, suggests that in 1970–71 about £1,017,000 of our contribution will be spent on refugees in Jordan, and some £207,000 on refugees in Syria. It should be emphasised that such a method of calculation can only be roughly approximate at best.U.N.R.W.A. does not provide assistance to refugees in Israel, and therefore we do not contribute to the relief of refugees there through our subscription to U.N.R.W.A. Nor do we contribute directly to such relief, but private charitable organisations based in this country may do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will issue a White Paper showing the difference in food prices involved in accepting a three-year transitional period, as opposed to a six-year transitional period, in respect of the common agricultural policy of the European Economic Community.

No. As I told the hon. Member for West Ham, North (Mr. Arthur Lewis) on 2nd November, it would not be appropriate, at this stage in the negotiations, to publish a further White Paper on aspects of Britain's entry into the European Communities.—[Vol. 805, c. 259.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government will now formally commit themselves to the Pearson objective that of total overseas aid annually provided by Great Britain seven-tenths should come from official sources.

No. The Government have decided that official flows of development assistance should form a substantial part of total flows, but they do not accept a separate target for such flows.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many lorry drivers during the past 12 months have been refused unemployment benefits because they have been dismissed from work, because they have lost their driving licences due to being convicted on three minor driving offences.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will reconsider the decision to disband the Mass Miniature Mobile Radiography Unit in Sheffield, in view of the high incidence of chest disease in Sheffield industry and the great value of this service to workers at their place of work.

Proposals for the future of the Mass Miniature Mobile Radiography Service are now under discussion between the Health Service authorities in the Sheffield area. The regional hospital board is planning to retain a mobile X-ray unit which will undertake special

		One-child family, child aged 4		Two-child family, children aged 4 and 8				Three-child family, children aged 4, 8 and 11
		Earnings		Earnings		Earnings and family allowance		Earnings		Earnings and family allowance
		£	s.	£	s.	£	s.	£	s.	£	s.
Ophthalmic and dental	…	19	11	20	15	21	13	21	18	23	16
Prescriptions	…	18	13	19	17	20	15	21	1	22	19
Welfare Milk	…	20	11	20	11	21	9	21	14	23	12
The figures of earnings are the gross weekly earnings of the family, i.e. the earnings before deduction of income tax, national insurance contributions and incidental expenses. It is also assumed that the family would be paying an average rent (including rates) of about £3 a week.
The levels of remission would be higher in the case of larger families.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will take steps to unify the administration of the National Health Service in England.

Yes. The Government intend to unify the administration of the National Health Service. Legislation will bring the change into effect at the same

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now take steps to add 10s. per week to the basic State retirement pension to assist pensioners to meet increased transport costs; and what this measure will cost.

No. Such a measure would cost £175 million on retirement pensions alone, without allowing for effects on other benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services up to what levels of earnings will two- and three-child families be entitled to remission of ophthalmic and dental and prescription charges and to free welfare milk.

The following are the levels at which full remission of the respective charges will be obtainable:time as alterations are made in the structure of local government.The National Health Service will be administered by health authorities outside local government working closely with the local authorities responsible for the personal social services and the public health services. The Government are not satisfied however that the detailed administrative proposals in the Green Paper of February, 1970, would create an efficient structure of a unified service. They are studying the comments made on the proposals, and, before reaching final decisions of their own, will consult with the organisations concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proposals he has to increase retirement pensions and maintain the real value of these pensions in purchasing power as prices rise.

None at the moment, but I would remind the hon. Member that over two million retirement pensioners will this week receive an increase in supplementary benefits.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the OFFICIAL REPORT the analgesics frequently precribed in the National Health Service which contain phenacetin.

Hypon Tablets and Aspirin, Phenacetin and Codeine Tablets, BP. The number of such analgesics has substantially declined.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will recommend the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into competition and its effect on prices.

No. The Government accept that the problem of rising prices is best tackled by the promotion of competition, and we are now urgently examining ways of making more effective the machinery established for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what decision has been reached by the Government on the request of the British Tourist Authority to grant an extension to the time limits laid down in Part II of the Development of Tourism Act, 1969, in connection with assistance for the building of hotels.